Tackle



March 2, 1943. R PENLQN 2,312,583

TACKLE Filed Dec. 1, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. fox D. PENL ON impATTORNE Y8.

March 2, 1943. R. D. PENLON 3 TACKLE Filed Dec. 1, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. 130x .0. PENLON MT M X?- Patented Mar. 2, 1943 UNITED STATESFATEN'E' GFFICE TACKLE Rox D. Penlon, San Francisco, Calif.

Application December 1, 1941, Serial No. 421,139

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a block and tackle arrangement whereby anoperator may work in perfect safety over the face of a building, achurch steeple or other structure difficult of accesswithout the use ofa scaffold.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple form of blockand tackle whereby an operator may be suspended in such a manner that itwill be possible to move at will both up or down or laterally withrelation to a vertical or steeply inclined structure; to provide asaddle which supports an operator in comfort, and which is secured tothe operator so that there can be no accidental release or falling outof the same; to provide a tackle which provides a high factor of safetyto the operator, and, at the same time, provides sufiicient freedom topermit efficient work to be performed; to provide a tackle which issuspended from two spaced points between which the operator can move anydirection vertically, angularly and horizontally, and further to providea tackle which is reversi ble, so that only one point of suspension needbe changed when shifting the tackle longitudinally over an extendedsurface. The tackle is shown by way of illustration in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front view of a building, said View alsoshowing the tackle suspended and in posi-' tion for an operator to workover the face of the buildin Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of thetriple pulley block;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing one of the side plates of the triplepulley block removed; 4-4

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on line g- Fig. 5 is a similar sectiontaken on line 55 Fig. 2.

' The tackle forming the subject matter of the present applicationemploys three pulley blocks such as indicated at 2, 3 and 4, a singlecable or rope 5, and a saddle generally indicated at 6 for the supportof an operator. The blocks 2 and 3 are identical, and each of themcontains two pulleys over which the rope 5 is reeved, as willhereinafter be described. The block 4 contains three pulleys indicatedat l, 8 and 9, and also two anchoring members and II. One end of therope a is permanently attached to the anchor l0, while the other end 5bis detachably secured to an anchor H.

The rope is reeved over the several pulleys in the following manner.Commencing V at the point 5a. the rope is extended upwardly and passesover one of the pulleys of block 2, it then extends down and it passesover the pulley 1, then up and over the second pulley in the block 2,then down again and under the pulley v8 in block 4, then up and over oneof the pulleys in block 3, then down and over pulley 9 in block 4, thenup again and over the second pulley in block 3, and then down to theanchor H on block 4 where it is releasably secured, as previouslydescribed. The rope is thus reeved over seven pulleys, and as suchpresents two points of suspension for the block 4, which are indicatedat A and B, and each suspension contains four ropes totaling eight ropesfrom which the operator is suspended. In actual practice a one-' halfinch manila rope is employed,'and when reeved through the locks as herelshown will readily support a load of 2000 pounds, and as the averageoperator together. with any tools he may employ will seldom exceed200pounds in weight, there is provided a safety factor of at least 10 to1.

The pulley blocks 2 and 3 are standard double pulley blocks as eachcontains two pulleys. The block 4, on the other hand, is'of specialdesign. It consists of two substantially triangular shaped metal plates[5 and I6 (see FigsJZ to 5inclusive) spaced apart by'bushings [1, uponwhich the'pulleys 1, 8, and S are journaled. The'plates of the blocksare secured together by bolts 18,- or

the like, extending through the bushings, and 7 also by a bolt I9, fromwhich hangs a' yoke 20 and a swiveled hook 2!. Attached in any suit ablemanner to the inner faces of the block plates 15 and I6 arefiller'plates 22. These are only placed in the shaded area indicated at[6 in Fig. 3, and reduce the space between the plates to one-half inchor, in other words, to the diameter of the rope passing over and underthe pulleys I, 8 and 9. This is important, as it prevents the ropes fromcrossing or passing one over the other at any point between the platesl5 and it of block 4, as such crossing of the ropes might causethe'block to jam, and thereby prevent a free run or play of the ropethrough the several pulley blocks.

The anchor member H is duplicated on each sideof block 4, and so are apair of hook'shaped members 25 to permit block 4 to be reversed, as willhereinafter be described. I

In actual operation any suitable support may be provided for theoperator. In'this instance a saddle is provided, which consists of 'apair of sole leather sections 26 which engage'the rear sides ofthethighs of the operator and function as seat members. These leathersections are adjustably secured to a belt 21, which surrounds the waistof the operator. This is in turn suspended from the hook 2| by a ring orthe like, and the operator is thus suspended from block 4'in a mannerwhereby it may be said that he is strapped in, yet is permitted all thefreedom required for the work in hand.

The operator may raise and lower himself by releasing the rope from theanchor .l I, and-then hauling in or paying out on the rope as the casemay be, and, when reaching the position desired, securely fastening therope. He may move laterally by walking or pushing his feet against thesurface on which he is working, or by pulling on the rope section whichpasses under the pulley 8. For instance, if he desires to move to theright, he pulls on the rope sectionindicated at 50, and if he wants tomove towards the left, he pulls on the rope section indicated at 50!,and'if hetemporarily wants to secure himself in any position to theright or left he may take either of the rope sections 50 or 5d, and hookit over the hook 2|.

With this tackle an operator can work over any area between andvertically below the two main points of suspension indicated by theblocks 2 and 3. This surface may be vertical or inclined, such as theface of a building, a tower, a steeple etc. Any type of work may beperformed, such as painting, repairing, welding, cutting, inspecting,wrecking etc. Also, where a water tank is supported byan open work frameor tower, one block such as 2 may be secured to one side of the tower,and block 3to the other side, and the operator may thus be suspendedbeneath the bottom of the tank to paint or work thereon.

When working on the surface of'a building, such as shown in Fig. 1, whenthe area-below and between the blocks 2 and 3 is finished and it becomesnecessary to shift, for instance to the right, it will only be necessaryto release the block 2 and move it past the block 3 to the nextposition. In-doing so block 4 becomes reversed, and it is for thisreason that the attachments to the plates and 16, such as the hooks andthe anchor members I i, are duplicated. Reversal ofblock is permittedduring shifting, which eliminates the necessity of releasing more thanone block when shifting the tackle, and while this and other features ofthe invention have been more or less specifically illustrated anddescribed, I wish it understood that changesmay beresorted to within thescope of the appended claims, and that the materials and finish oftheseveral parts may be such as the experience ofthemanufacturer orvarying conditions of use may .demand. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. .A' tackle of the character described comprising a pair of blockseach containing two pulleys, means for securing said blocks to asupport, three connected single pulleys, means for suspending anoperator from said connected single pulleys, and a single rop reevedover all of the pulleys and having an end anchored to the connectedsingle pulleys and the other end detachably secured thereto, whereby theoperator can move'himself vertically and horizontallywith relation tothe pair'ofsecured pulley blocks.

2. A tackle of the character described comprising a pair of blocks ,eachcontaining two pulleys,-means for securing said blocks to a support, asingle rope reeved through said pulleys and suspended therefrom, asupport for an operator, and means for suspending said support from therope in a manner to permit the operator to move himself both verticalyand horizon-.

tally with relation to the secured pulley blocks.

3. A tackle of the character described comprising a pair of blocks eachcontaining two pulleys, means for securing said blocks spaced apart to asupport, a single rope reeved through said pulleys and dependingtherefrom, a support for an operator suspended from said depending rope,means for anchoring one end of the rope to the support, means fordetachably securing the other end of the rope to the operators sup- 1port whereby an operator by hauling or paying out on the detachable endof the rope can move vertically, and means on the support whereby theoperator can move horizontally and anchor himselfafter movinghorizontally.

4. A tackle of the character described comprising a pair of blocks eachcontaining two pulleys, meansfor suspending said blocks from a support,three connected single pulleys, means for suspending an operator fromsaid connected single pulleys, and a single rope reeved over all of thepulleys and having an end anchored to the connected single pulleys andthe other end detachably secured thereto, and a support for an operatorsuspended fromthe connected single pulleys.

5. A tackle of the character described comprising a pair of blocks eachcontaining two pulleys; means for suspending said blocks from a support,a block containing an upper and a pair of spaced pulleys below the same,a single rope anchored to said block and reeved over all the pulleys inthe several blocks to suspend the last named block from the first namedpair of blocks in a. manner to permit the last named block to be raisedor lowered with relation to the pair of blocks by hauling in or payingout on the other endof the rope, means for detachably securing the freeend of the rope to the last named block and when 50' secured leavingsaid block free to move longitudinally on the rope between the pair ofblocks, and an operators support suspended from the last named block,and means on said block for securing it against longitudinal movement onthe rope.

6. In a tackle of the character described a pulley block comprising a,pairof spaced apart plates, an upper pulley, a pair of pulleysdisposedbelow the same and spaced apart all of said pulleys being journalledbetween the'plates, a permanent anchor attached to the plates to receiveone end of a rope, a pair of anchors one on each plate to releasablyanchor the other end of the rope, and a pair of downwardly directedhooks one on each plate and adjacent the upper pulley to receive andsecure a portion of the rope passing under the upper pulley.

'7. ha tackle of the character described a pulley block comprising apair of spaced apart plates, an upper pulley, a pair of pulleys disposedbelow the same and spaced apart all of said pulleys beingjournalled between the plates, a permanent anchor attached to the platesto receive one end of a rope, a pair of anchors one on each plate toreleasably anchor the other end of the rope,,and a pair of downwardlydirected hooks oneon each plate and adjacent the upper pulley to receiveand secure a portion of the rope passing under the upper pulley, andfiller plates disposed between the first named plates to reduce thespace between the first named plates to the diameter of the rope passingover and under the pulleys.

8. In a tackle of the character described a pulley block comprising apair of spaced apart plates, an upper pulley, a pair of pulleys disposedbelow the same and spaced apart all of said pulleys being journalledbetween the plates, a permanent anchor attached to the plates to receiveone end of a rope, a pair of anchors one on each plate to releasablyanchor the other end 10

